Tie-plate for railways.



C. D. YOUNG.

TIE PLATE FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. ms.

1,242,300, v Patented 0015.9,1917.

' 2 sussrs-snizf 1. 5 v ffzg z I 3 I l WITNESS:

ATTO RNEYB.

C. D. YOUNG.

TIE PLATE FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION man JULY 6 1915.

1 42,309. Patented Oct. 9, 1917.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- WITNESS! INENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

a; TED STATES .cnamns n. some, or ALroonA; rnnnsrrvmm.

TIE-PLATE FOB RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 191'7.

Application filed m e, 1915; Serial m. 38,274.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES D. Youno, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Tie-Plates for Railways, of which the following is a specification.

. provision of a tie p This invention relates to tie plates and particularly to that class of tie plates used for supporting railway rails upon wooden ties and has for its rincipal objects, the ate or rail support whereby the load upon the tie plate is evenly distributed upon the surface of the tie beneath the plate; tie plate whereby rocking of the tie or tie plate as the rail is deflected by the load, is minimized or entirely prevented; the provision of a tie plate that may be readily applied to the tie arid rail and secured in place without the use of driven spikes; the provision of a tie plate that may be cheaply formed from a rolled metal plate and which is durable and eflicien't; the provision of a tie plate that does not chafe the tie due to improper distribution of the load; and such orther objects as may hereinafter appear.

One embodiment of the inventlon and modifications thereof are shown in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of a 'tie plate; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the tie plate; Fig. 3 is an end view of a tie showing the tie plate assembled thereon with certain portions in section; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a railway constructionshowing the ties and tie plates in operative position; Fig. 5 is an end view of a tie form of tie plate mounted thereon; Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing a modified form of bolt insulating or protecting means and Fig. 7 is Fig. 6, Fig. 6. y y

Referring to Figs. 1,;2,-and3,the device consists of a metal plate a pair of struck-up lugs-2 and 3 for ing the base flange of. the rail 4. lugs are for the purpose of securely holding the rail in position and showing the elements shown in en agthe provision of a showing amodified a side elevation of the tie shown in 7 1 provided, with- T ese' are diagonally disposed with respect to the center line of the rail when in operative position. The inner edges 4 of the lugs 2 and 3 are inclined and because they are diagonally positioned ermit the plate to be assembled with the ra when the plate is turned so that the center line iii-A Fig. 1 is parallel with the rail as shown. in dotted lines Fig. 4. In such position the lugs will clear the rail flange, and when the plate is moved into operative position as shown in full lines in Fig. 4, the lugs will securely engage the rail flange and hold the rail in position.

Beferring to Fig. 2, the lugs consist of pieces of struck-up metal provided with clamping ends bent to conform to the contour of the rail web at the point of engagement and serve to hold therail against both lateral and vertical displacement. While the lugs shown are struck-up from the plate by a punching operation, such lugs may be cast on the plate, welded or otherwise secured for the purpose.

It has been found that Where a tie plate is used having a deflection of the rail between the ties caused by the movin wheels of the rolling stock, causes the 10a to be placed'first on one edge of the plate, depressing the tie and plate on that side, then on the center, straightening the tie again, and finally on the other edge of the plate causing the depression of the tie and plate on such side. The rolling of a train over such a track causes a rocking motion of the tie which works the tie loose in the road bed and works the spikes loose from the ties and the plates loose from their seat. The rocking of th tie plate wears and chafes the tieat the, point of contact and when lost motion has been started the wear increases at an increasing ratio.

' To. prevent such wear and thereby in 'of' the rail, plate, and tie,.

crease the life the tie plate .1 is provided with a flat under surface 6 adapted to fit solidly upon the upper face 7 of the tie 8 (see Fig. 3). The topsurface of the plate is substantially flat at 9 between the points B --B, Figs. 1 and 3', and curves downwardtoward the edges 10 and 11. Normally the flat portion, the edges-'10 and 11 at such rail 4 rests'upon the times being spaced from the rail. Preferably, the top surface of the tie plate is curved so that the edges of the plate are spaced about one sixteenth of an inch from the bottom of the rail,

It will be seen that when the rail is normally supported adjacent the center of the plate, the pressure will be evenly distributed throughout the entire bearing surface thereof and even through the rail is deflected to an extent that it bears upon a point between the center of the plate and the edge, the point of contact will be more or less general and therefore the load will be considerably more distributed over the bearing surface than where the whole load rests upon the edge of the plate. The top surface of the plate may be curved from one edge to the other without the provision of a flat central seat, the essential feature however being a plate having a firm or stable bearm upon the tie and a central bearing area or the rail of greater elevation than the edges of the plate so that normally the edges of the plate are spaced from the bottom of the rail.

It has been found that where spikes are driven into wooden ties, the displacement of I the fiber caused by the wedged spikes, disrupts the fiber adjacent the spike so that such fiber is subject to deteriorating atmospheric action resulting in the loosening of the spike and eventual rotting of the Wood surrounding the s ike. Continual vibration of the loosened splke breaks the rotting fiber 1 and the spike soon becomes dangerously loose. In such cases it is often necessary to replace the ties before the balance of the .tie, where the fiber has not been disturbed,

has become affected by atmospheric conditions. v

To avoid such means of securing the rails to the tie as have proven injurious, the tie plate 1 is provided with a depending flange 12 adapted to engage the side 13 of the he The flange is preferably reduced in thickness and provided with holes 14 through which bolts 15 project. The bolts pass through holes drilled in the tie, from one side thereof to the other, the head of the bolts bearing against a washer plate 16, Figs. 3 and 4, while the other end is provided with the usual lock Washer 17 and nut 18. The bolts 15 securely hold the tie plate 1 against vertical or lateral motion, and as the bolts are inserted through drilled holes, the fiber is not disturbed, and as the holes are horizontally disposed, water cannot enter the hole. This construction results in longer life to the tie and a more secure rail fastening.

To further protect the exposed parts of the securing means from climatic conditions, blocks 19 and 20,made of wood or other electrically insulating material are taeasod nailed to the side of the tie and inclose the ends of the bolts and all exposed metal parts below the top surface of the tie. These insulating covers also serve to prevent the grounding of the rail where the rail is used ,as an electrical conductor in conjunction with signaling apparatus and the like.

Referring to Fig. 5, a modified form of the tie plate 1' is there shown having two depending flanges 12-.l2 which securely clamp the tie plate to the tie. This con- 7 struction, while less easily assembled under some circumstances, is very rigid and serviceable. It is retained in place by bolts 15 in a manner similar to that emplo ed in the construction previously describe Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of bolt mountin in which the hole in the tie 8" is enlarge at one side of the tie and a metal washer 21 inserted in the enlargement. This washer is provided with lugs 22 on the sides thereof thereby preventing rotation of the washer after it is inserted in the enlargement of the bolt hole. The washer is also provided with a square recess 23 adapted to receive the head of the bolt and prevent rotation thereof. With this construction the bolt is protected and the end thereof insulated from the ground. As a further precaution a plain wooden strip may be nailed across the openings in. 5 the tie.

It is obvious that many changes in detail may be made in the cohstruction of the .device Without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the invention is not limited to the specific means herein shown.

What I claim is:

1. A tie plate for rails comprising in combination a base plate adapted to rest upon the upper surface of a tie and provided with 3, depending flange, means on the plate for securing the plate to the rail, a bolt for securing the tie plate to the tie extending through a hole in the tie from one side to the other and adapted to pass through the depending flange of the tie plate, means for securing the bolt against removal, and means for insulating the bolt and securing means from contact with external objects.

2. A tie plate for rails comprising in combination a base plate adapted to rest upon the upper surface of a tie and provided with a depending flange, means on the plate for securing the plate to the rail, a bolt for screwing the tie plate to the tie extending 120 through a hole in the tie from one side to the other and adapted to pass through the depending flange of the tie plate, means for securing the bolt against removal, andmeans attached to the tie for insulating the bolt and securing means from contact with external objects. 1

3. A tie plate for supporting railway rails,

comprismg' a metal plate provided with a pair of dla onally spaced lugs adapted to overlap the ase flange of the rail when in operative position with respect to the rail 5 and to clear the base flange of the rail when the plate is diagonally positioned with re spect to the ra1l, an integral depending,

with respect to the rail, and means en ag- 7 ing the flange adjacent the ends thereo for binding the flan? to the tie.

HARLES D. YO NG, 

